TAMPA, Fla. — Masahiro Tanaka’s major-league debut will not be in the United States. It will be in Canada on April 4.

That is the logical date after Yankees manager Joe Girardi told reporters Monday that CC Sabathia, Hiroki Kuroda, and Ivan Nova will start the first three games of the season in Houston, leaving Tanaka to start the first of a three-game series against the Blue Jays in Toronto.

The Yankees invested $175 million in Tanaka thinking he would become the team's No. 3 starter, but pushing him to No. 4 in the rotation allows him an extra day of rest, which falls in line with the Yankees’ intentions to ease his transition to the major-league workload from Japan. And as a result of the Yankees’ schedule, Tanaka will be afforded two additional off days between starts later in April.

Pushing Tanaka back a day also splits up him and Kuroda, two pitchers with similar deliveries and pitching styles.

Tanaka, 25, had his roughest outing of the spring Saturday. The right-hander allowed three runs on five hits over 5 2/3 innings. He threw 92 pitches, the most he’s tossed in a Yankees uniform. In four spring outings, including three starts, he has surrendered five runs on 12 hits in 15 innings.

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The Yankees have decided who will be their fifth starter, but will wait until Tuesday to announce the winner of the competition, Girardi reiterated Monday.

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Jacoby Ellsbury will play in a minor-league game Tuesday as a designated hitter. Ellsbury, 31, has not played in a game since March 14 due to tightness in his right calf.

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Ivan Nova pitched eight scoreless innings in a minor-league game Monday. The Dominican right-hander allowed four hits and had 10 strikeouts.